Arcana X 2nd Assignment: Bitter Suites to Succubi Chapter 9 Pt. 2

“What’s going on in here?!” came a gruff voice.
Ecks looks toward the front door to see a large man standing in the living room. His blonde hair is pulled back into a long pony tail and a thick golden forest of beard framed his face. The man looks at Ecks. His eyes then drift to the large silver and ebony gun in Ecks’s hand. A snarl draws across the man’s face. It is then that the young knight realized he is still holding Grace.
“What the hell’s going on in here?!” the man demanded in a firm tone. He then sees Elanohr being cradled by a young woman. “Elanohr?”
Elanohr lifts her head to look at the man. Her eyes are red from crying. “Tremont,” she says, recognizing him. “She’s gone. Elga is…” Her voice trails off as tears fill her eyes again.
Tremont walks toward Ecks with heavy footsteps. “You got two seconds to explain yourself!” he demanded.
Ecks can see what is on Tremont’s mind. Two unknown people in the home of one of their own and one of those people is holding a shotgun with a woman that he recognizes. Tremont sees him as an intruder and will treat him as such. Ecks attempts to smooth things over with man before he does something rash. “Tremont, is it? Listen we received a letter asking for help,” he started.
“No such letter was sent out!” Tremont cuts Ecks off. He glares down at the young knight who is half his size. From his position, he doesn’t know this person so there for he has no reason to believe him. Tremont’s nose twitches when he gets a wind of something he doesn’t like. Lifting his eyes only, he spies the kitchen door partly open.
Ecks notices this. “Tremont, it’d be better if you didn’t,” he started to warn him.
“Stand aside, boy,” Tremont said with a firm shove on Ecks’ shoulder. He steps to the kitchen and gently opens the door. First, he sees the kitchen in a manner of disarray that is not familiar with the home’s occupant. The large man then looks up at the support beam decorated with Elga’s lifeless body. “Elga?” he said quietly in shock.
By now, Ecks has entered the kitchen. He has been in this situation before where another person familiar with the deceased unexpectedly shows up and Ecks tries to defuse the situation before it escalates. Half the time it works.
“Tremont, I’m sorry we couldn’t do any—” Ecks started to say.
“Who are you?” Tremont sternly cuts him off. He balls his fists tight as the anger rises in him. Ecks attempts to speak to him again but Tremont refuses to listen to the stranger. “Who the hell are you?!” he yells, lashing around with a large fist. Ecks is sent smashing through the kitchen door and crashing into the dining room furniture. Willow instinctively shields Elanohr from any flying debris.
Half the time it doesn’t.
Tremont stomps into the area. His muscles bulging with rage. He glares at the young unknown man wielding the large shotgun. He suspects that he had something to do with Elga’s death. And he will get the answers, even if he has to beat it out of Ecks.
Ecks pulls himself up and gives his head a shake. He expected Tremont’s reaction given how the situation looks from his angle. Luckily, Ecks threw up a defensive block to lessen the damage. Standing to his feet, he looks at the large man before him with daggers in his eyes. Getting him to calm down is not going to be easy.
“What did you do to her?” Tremont demanded.
Ecks sighs sharply. Again, he is blamed for something he didn’t do. “Look, if you just listen a moment. We can sort this out,” he says, stepping cautiously toward Tremont.
“You’re gonna tell me what you did. Now!” orders Tremont, pointing a finger.
“My partner and I, we came here on the urgency of a letter that was sent to Arcana Kingdom,” Ecks tells him.
“Arcana Kingdom?! You’re an Arcana Knight?!”
Ecks curses to himself, remembering the tension between Arcana Kingdom and Tulpaar Village. Sadly, the damage is done. If he tells Tremont that he is a knight, he will be trounced by the man. If he lies to Tremont, he will be trounced by the man. Ecks inhales and exhales a sigh. Just as he is about to answer, someone else takes the pleasure instead.
“Yes Tremont, they’re Knights from Arcana Kingdom,” says Elanohr.
“They’re Arcana Knights.” Tremont looks at the young blonde woman holding Elanohr. He sees the Red Star Crest of Arcana on the badge hanging from her waist. “Both of them,” he snarls through the golden forest of beard on his face.
“Thanks, Elanohr,” Ecks said, wishing she hadn’t said anything. Now he is faced with a new situation. Tremont already thinks that he is to blame for Elga’s death and now he knows that Ecks and Willow are from Arcana Kingdom—the same Arcana Kingdom that Tulpaar Village has high resentment for. The only thing left is for Tremont’s reaction. “Hey, Tre—” The moment Ecks started to speak is the moment he is bashed into the wall by Tremont. The force of his body knocks several plates off their display shelves and shattering upon the floor.
With one knight down, Tremont walks over to Willow who scuttles back with Elanohr. She looks up at the man looming over them. He glares down with a fierce gaze, slowing scanning her up and down. “Don’t think for a second that just because you’re a pretty young girl that I’m going to make an exception. You’re an Arcana Knight. That all I need to know,” he says soullessly.
Elanohr moves herself in front of Willow who tried to hold her back in protest. “Tremont, listen to me! They’re here to help,” she says firmly, hoping he’ll listen.
“Move away from her, Elanohr! She’s an Arcana Knight! She’s not supposed to be here! And I’ll make her regret it,” Tremont said.
Elanohr stands and pleads with Tremont, “I know that. I knew that since I met them. But they’re the only ones who are willing to help find Aerith. To find Larissa, your niece! Please Tremont!”
Pausing for a moment, Tremont looks into Elanohr’s eyes, seeing the urgency in them. However, the deep-rooted hatred he feels for the Arcana Knights wrestles with him. He must exile them from the village. By force if necessary. “You’re my sister’s friend, Elanohr. But don’t think I won’t hesitate to move you to get to her,” Tremont tells her. Then, with a looming glare, he adds, “Do not force my hand.”
“They’re the only chance I have at getting my daughter back. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you harm them!” said Elanohr.
Tremont had hoped that his sister’s friend would take the road less traveled. He sees how much in pain she is but he cannot let these knights stay in Tulpaar. “Elanohr, move!” Tremont shot at her sternly. Elanohr watches him raise a hand to her, ready to move her aside to get to the young woman who is her only link to finding out what happened to Aerith. Suddenly, Tremont is tripped up by Ecks who took his legs out from under him using Grace. The big man slams on his back. When he attempts to get up, he meets the muzzle end of Glory. Tremont looks past the beautifully designed shotgun at the young man peering down at him from the other end.
“Alright. Now let’s try this again,” says Ecks.